Garment rack with rotatable bumpers

ABSTRACT

An over-the-door garment drying rack has a stationary frame affixable to a door, and a drying pane pivotably coupled to the stationary frame. At least one rotatable and slidable bumper is coupled to the drying pane and fixed for rotation and slidable movement relative to the drying pane. Upon opening of the door when the drying rack is in an open configuration, the bumper comes into contact with an adjoining wall surface prior to any other component of the drying rack. The rotatable and slidable nature of the bumper serves to protect the wall and the drying rack and to further inhibit damage or marring to the wall or the drying rack that may otherwise occur as a result of contact between the drying pane and the wall.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/303,682, filed Mar. 4, 2016, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to garment racks and, in particular, to racks for the air drying of garments following laundering.

2. General Background of the Invention

Drying racks for garments have been in use for some time. The use of such racks in lieu of conventional electric or gas-powered dryers may be desirable for several reasons, including cost savings, and for the drying of articles that may shrink or otherwise be damaged as the result of the application of heated air, the accompanying tumbling of the articles, or both.

One type of garment drying rack, often preferable to use where a limited amount of space is available, is a folding rack capable of being mounted to a door. An example of a prior art drying rack of this general type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,844,737 to Bukowski. These drying racks typically include one or more foldable drying panes having a plurality of rods from which wet or damp garments may be hung or suspended for drying, and hooks for suspending the overall drying rack from the top edge of a door, such as an interior door of a dwelling.

Most interior doors of dwellings are constructed of wood or another opaque material, and, as a result, an over-the-door mounted drying rack is typically not visible from the side of the door that opposes the side on which the drying rack is mounted. One potential resultant issue with this type of garment drying rack is the potential to dent, scratch, or otherwise mar the appearance of an opposing wall, in the event a door to which the garment rack is attached is swung open, particularly from the side of the door from which the rack is not visible, thereby causing the garment rack to strike a portion of the opposing wall. The risk of marring the opposing wall is heightened when the drying pane of the drying rack is left in a deployed or open position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an over-the-door mounted garment drying rack having a mechanism for inhibiting damage to an opposing wall on occasions where the associated door is inadvertently opened, particularly when a drying pane of the rack has been left in an opened or deployed position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an over-the-door mounted garment drying rack having a mechanism for inhibiting damage to the drying rack on occasions where the associated door is inadvertently opened causing the drying rack to contact an opposing wall, particularly when a drying pane of the rack has been left in an opened or deployed position.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent in view of the following specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an over-the-door drying rack having a generally rectangular stationary frame, a pivoting drying pane, hooks or other fasteners to secure the stationary frame to a door, and straps, hinges and clips to change the position of the drying pane with respect to the frame. The drying pane consists of horizontal parallel rods or wires connected to two transversely oriented rods or wires.

This invention provides two different positions for the drying pane: an open and a closed position. Each position provides different advantages. The angled or open position provides more spacing between the items for more efficient drying; the vertical or closed position is ideal for smaller space. The invention enables the user to hang several long items in parallel from the various rods of the drying pane, optimizing the hanging space with minimal depth. In an embodiment of the present invention, several linear meters of vertical hanging space is provided, with only 10 to 20 cm. of depth.

The hinge design at the bottom of the drying pane, and the strap and plastic clip at the top make it easy for the user to alternate or flip between open and close positions. No tools are required to do this and there is no need to take the drying rack down from the door to change these positions.

A flexible strap, string or other flexible material couples the drying pane to the drying frame proximate its top and makes it easy to switch between open and close position. This flexibility also reduces contact between the drying rack and an adjacent wall, making it easier to open and close the door without damaging the drying rack or the wall or the door.

Guards or protectors, in the form of rotatable and slidable bumpers coupled to portions of the pivoting drying pane, initially come into contact with an opposing wall, in the event a door to which the present drying rack is mounted is inadvertently swung open. These bumpers, which may be constructed of a plastic material, are the first portions of the overall drying rack to contact the opposing wall under such circumstances, and serve to reduce the possibility that the contacted wall surface or the drying rack may be damaged or marred by such contact. In particular, the rotatable and slidable mounting of the bumpers serve to reduce friction between the pivoting drying pane and the opposing wall as contact is initially made, and serve to enable the drying pane to more readily retract towards the closed position, without damaging the wall or the drying rack as the door is further opened towards the opposing wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of a garment rack of the present invention, with the drying pane in the open or deployed position;

FIG. 2 is an elevated perspective view of the garment rack of FIG. 1, with the drying pane in the closed or retracted position;

FIG. 3 is an elevated left side view of the garment rack of FIG. 1, with the drying pane in the open or deployed position;

FIG. 4 is an elevated left side view of the garment rack of FIG. 1, with the drying pane in the closed or retracted position;

FIG. 5 is an elevated perspective view of a hanging hook, suitable for affixing and suspending the garment drying rack of FIG. 1 adjacent the surface of a door;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a rotatable bumper of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a rotatable bumper of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, several specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is intended as an exemplification of the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

An embodiment of the present garment drying rack 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-5 as comprising stationary member or frame 20, pivoting member or drying pane 30, locking clip 50, straps 60, rotatable and slidable bumpers 70, and hanging hooks 80. Stationary member 20 is releasably mountable adjacent a surface of a door, and comprises inverted U-shaped tubular member 21 having horizontal portion 22 and vertical portions 23. Apertures 24 disposed through vertical portions 23 proximate their endpoints permit opposing ends of bottom crossbar 26 to be disposed and secured therein. End caps 26 are fitted into the bottom openings of vertical portions 34 of tubular member 21. Guards 27 are resiliently clipped to bottom crossbar 26 and serve to protect the surface of a door to which the present garment drying rack 10 is suspended from being scratched or otherwise marred by stationary member 20. Stationary member 20 may be constructed of steel or other relatively rigid material.

Pivoting member 30 comprises center region 31, offset drying bar 35, and angled stop member 40. Center region 31 is generally planar, and includes two opposing side rails 33 and a plurality of drying bars 32 disposed in a parallel, spaced relationship from each other, each spanning the space between side rails 33 and permitting a plurality of articles of clothing to be simultaneously hung upon pivoting member 30 for drying. Offset drying bar 35, which may be integrally formed with center region 31, is disposed at an angle of approximately ninety degrees from drying bars 32, providing a convenient surface for hanging additional garments for drying, even when pivoting member 30 is in its closed position. Side rails 33 each include an associated pivoting loop 34, disposed about bottom crossbar 26 of stationary member 20. This, in turn, permits pivoting member 30 to rotate or pivot about bottom crossbar 26, and for pivoting member 30 to transition between its open and closed positions. Pivoting member 30 may be constructed of steel or other relatively rigid material.

Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of hooks 80 may be employed to suspend drying rack 10 from the top surface of a door. Each hook 80 includes curved supporting region 81, attachable to horizontal portion 22 of stationary member 20, and hanger region 82, configured to overlie the top surface of a door. Two hooks are preferably disposed along the length of horizontal portion 22 of stationary member 20 and, may either be snap-fit to horizontal portion 22, or permanently secured to horizontal portion 22, such as with a screw or other suitable fastener. Hooks 80 may be constructed of steel or other relatively rigid material.

Angled stop member 40 is disposed at an interior angle of approximately one hundred twenty-five degrees from drying bars 32, and serves to preclude drying bars 32 from reaching a completely vertical orientation upon movement of pivoting member 30 to its closed position. Upon movement of pivoting member 30 to its closed position, top crossbar 41 of stop member 40 engages a portion of locking clip 50 in a releasable, snap-fit manner. Another portion of locking clip 50 is secured to horizontal portion 22 of U-shaped tubular frame member 21 and, accordingly, the engagement of top crossbar 41 of stop member 40 by locking clip 50 serves to releasably secure pivoting member 30 in the closed position. In a preferred embodiment, angled stop member is integrally formed with center region 31 of rotating member 30.

As best seen in FIG. 4, when in the closed position, pivoting member 30 is disposed at an angle of approximately six degrees from the vertical. This angle permits drying rack 10 to take up a relatively small amount of horizontal space when in the closed position while, at the same time, providing enough of an angle for multiple garments to be suspended from individual drying bars 32.

Upon the release of pivoting member 30 from securement to locking clip 50 and, in turn, from securement to stationary member 20, straps 60 limit the opposing rotational movement of pivoting member 30. In particular, each of two straps 60 includes a first attachment clip, or hoop 61, disposed at one end of the strap and coupled to horizontal portion 22 of U-shaped tubular member 21, and a second attachment clip, or hook 62, disposed at the opposing end of the strap and coupled to top crossbar 41 of pivoting member 30. Upon full extension of strap 60, which may be constructed of a metallic wire, a synthetic or natural fabric cord, or other suitable material, pivoting member 30 is in its fully open position, and is disposed at an angle of approximately thirty-two degrees from the vertical.

As compared to the closed position of pivoting member 30, this angle permits additional lateral spacing between the individual drying bars 32 of center region 31 while, at the same time, still permits overall drying rack 10 to occupy a relatively narrow space adjacent a door to which the rack is affixed. Moreover, having the pivoting member 30 in a less than horizontal orientation upon full deployment facilitates the movement of pivoting member 30 towards its closed or retracted position upon contact of rotatable and slidable bumpers 70 with an adjacent wall upon the opening of a door to which the present drying rack 10 is attached. Alternatively, straps 60 may be manually unhooked or disconnected from pivoting member 30, in which case center region 31 and drying bars 32 will further rotate until offset drying bar 35 contacts the surface of the door to which rack 10 is affixed, placing drying bars 32 in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Pivoting member 30 further includes two opposing rotatable and slidable bumpers 70, each disposed about an associated side rail of angled stop member 40, proximate the junction of stop member 40 and center region 31 of pivoting member 30. Each rotatable and slidable bumper is both rotatable about and slidable along its associated side rail. Accordingly, in the event that a door to which drying rack 10 is affixed is swung fully open while rack 10 is in its open configuration, the first portions of drying rack 10 to come in contact with an opposing wall will be rotatable and slidable bumpers 70, which are both rotatable and slidable about their associated side rail of stop member 40. Moreover, as the door is more fully opened following initial contact of bumpers 70 and the adjacent wall, each bumper 70 remains in contact with the adjacent wall, as contact with the wall and further movement of the door causes pivoting member 30 to move from its open position, with straps 60 fully extended, towards its closed position. This rotational and slidable capability serves to lessen the friction between rotating member 30 and the adjoining wall, as pivoting member 30 is pushed towards the closed position by reason of the wall and door coming into further proximity.

Although, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, each bumper 70 is fixed for lateral rotation about an axis comprising the generally vertically oriented side rail of stop member 70, and is fixed for vertical sliding movement along such axis, each bumper 70 may alternatively be disposed about the topmost drying bar 32 of center region 31 of pivoting member 30. In such an embodiment, each bumper 70 is instead fixed for vertical rotation about an axis comprising a generally horizontally oriented drying bar, at the positions denoted by reference numeral 85 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is fixed for horizontal sliding movement along such axis.

Referring to FIG. 6, rotatable and slidable bumper 70 is generally toroidal in shape and comprises two hemispherical members 71, each having a plurality of semicircular bearing surfaces 72, which contact and rotate about a portion of angled stop member 40 or another suitable cylindrical member of drying rack 10. Each hemispherical member 71 further includes a resilient arm 73 having an end tab 74, configured for snap-fit engagement with an aperture 75 of an opposing hemispherical member 71. In this manner, a pair of identically-configured hemispherical members 71 can be snap-fit together about a suitable cylindrical member, with bearing surfaces 72 permitting relatively low friction rotation of rotatable and slidable bumper 70 about the cylindrical member. A plurality of optional locating fingers 76, 77 serve to further preclude each hemispherical member 71 of rotatable and slidable bumper 70 from twisting or lateral rotation, relative to each other. Rotatable and slidable bumper 70 may be constructed of a suitable plastic material, such as, for example, high density polyethylene (HDPE).

Referring to FIG. 7, an alternatively constructed rotatable bumper 90 is likewise generally toroidal in shape, and comprises two hemispherical members 91, each having a plurality of semicircular bearing surfaces 92, which contact and rotate about a portion of angled stop member 40 or another suitable cylindrical member of drying rack 10. Each hemispherical member 91 further includes a plurality of posts 93, configured for snap-fit engagement with a corresponding socket 94 of an opposing hemispherical member 91. In this manner, a pair of identically-configured hemispherical members 91 can be snap-fit together about a suitable cylindrical member, with bearing surfaces 92 permitting relatively low friction rotation of rotatable bumper 90 about the cylindrical member. Internal webbing 95 serves to further strengthen each rotatable bumper 90, and to further support the inner-most bearing surface 92.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. Various modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of construction of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present disclosure is intended to exemplify and not limit the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment rack affixable to a door, the door having a first surface and a wall disposed proximate the first surface of the door upon movement of the door towards a fully open position, the garment rack comprising: a pivoting member fixed for rotation relative to the first surface of the door upon attachment of the garment rack to the door and movable relative to the door from a retracted position in proximity to the door to a deployed position; and at least one bumper coupled to the pivoting member, the bumper being fixed for at least one of rotatable movement and slidable movement relative to the pivoting member, the bumper being positioned to come into contact with the wall prior to any other portion of the garment rack upon movement of the door towards the fully open position.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is toroidal in shape.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper includes a bearing surface contacting a cylindrical portion of the pivoting member.
 4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper rotates about a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member.
 5. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper rotates about a generally horizontally oriented axis.
 6. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is slidable about a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member.
 7. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is slidable about a generally horizontally oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member.
 8. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is fixed for both rotatable movement and slidable movement relative to the pivoting member.
 9. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is both rotatable about and slidable along a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member.
 10. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is both rotatable about and slidable along a generally horizontally oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member.
 11. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is constructed of two identically configured members joined together.
 12. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the bumper is constructed of two hemispherical members joined together.
 13. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the garment rack further includes a stationary member affixable to the door, the pivoting member being fixed for rotation relative to the stationary member.
 14. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the stationary member includes at least one hook configured to suspend the garment rack from a top surface of the door.
 15. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the pivoting member includes a plurality of drying bars from which articles of clothing may be hung.
 16. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the garment rack further includes a stationary member affixable to the door, and the pivoting member further includes a stop member and a drying pane having a plurality of drying bars, the pivoting member being precluded from further rotation towards the stationary member and the drying pane being precluded from reaching a fully vertical orientation upon contact of the stop member with at least a portion of the stationary member as the pivoting member is rotated towards the stationary member.
 17. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the stop member is disposed at an oblique interior angle relative to a vertical axis of the door upon affixation of the garment rack to the door and when the pivoting member is in the retracted position. 